


I Cried In The Afterlife

by Texeoghea



Series: RDC But Depth Charge Is A Ghost [1]
Category: Transformers: Beast Wars
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Ghosts, Rampage Survives But Depth Charge Dies, This is TECHNICALLY rdc but. They're still fighting at this point, i interpret primus as rung in all canons. hes here to give you therapy after you die, religion tw here because it opens with a conversation between depth charge and literal god, the afterlife
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:14:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24207268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Texeoghea/pseuds/Texeoghea
Summary: Rampage cannot die, but Depth Charge does.Luckily, Primus seems to be on his side this time, bringing him back as a spirit to haunt Rampage- At least, that's what Depth Charge thinks.
Series: RDC But Depth Charge Is A Ghost [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1814494
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	I Cried In The Afterlife

**Author's Note:**

> Title inspired by "Arms Tonite" by Mother Mother. It's a love song (I think) but the lines "I cried in the afterlife/I cried hard because I have died, and you're alive" really fit this fic well.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

The first thing Depth Charge did was scream.

He knew where he was, he knew it so intimately, because it was where his life was made, and it was always going to be where he would end. He was dead, he was in the Well of Allsparks, and he was _alone._

And so Depth Charge screamed.

He screamed in pain, at the ghost of the explosion still crawling over his spark, he screamed in fury, at the mech he’d never managed to kill, he screamed in despair, having failed at his mission. He screamed until his vox fizzled out and he could make no more sound but garbled static.

He made that sound for a while more. Then, finally, he fell quiet. With his voice, his fury left, as did his pain, leaving only his aching, crushing defeat. The light turned cold and dim around him as he curled up, wrapping his wings around himself.

Only then did another presence approach him. This, too, he knew well. He turned dimmed optics up to the being he could not fully see. 

“My child,” the Voice said, comforting in Its strength. “Your pain has echoed through us all. Tell us why you mourn.” As He spoke, a cool feeling flooded through Depth Charge’s throat, like iced energon, soothing his vox until it was as though it was never damaged at all.

“I failed,” Depth Charge lamented, letting his helm fall forwards. “I failed my _colony._ I failed my _friends._ I failed _everyone._ ”

“You did the very best you could,” Primus said, enveloping Depth Charge in warmth and comfort. It rang cold through his empty spark. 

“And I should have done better,” he answered.

Primus laughed gently, a sound like wind rushing over wings, tires over smooth street-metal. Depth Charge could sense His amusement, His love, though it felt like echoes through a dark ocean. It thrilled his spark, made him want to stand and dance and sing with his Creator, but he only curled further in on himself.

“You performed with a fierce passion and strength that not many could achieve,” Primus insisted. “Those you aimed to avenge were brought comfort by your persistence. But now your hunt is over, little one. Now is your time of rest.”

“How can I rest knowing that monster is still out there?” Depth Charge sobbed, turning his face upwards, trying to seek Primus’ face in the light. “How could I ever rest knowing that now, there’s no one who can stop him?”

Primus was silent for a moment. His voice seemed almost sorry as He answered. “Would you like another chance, my child?”

Depth Charge flared his wings. “Another chance to bring X to justice?” He asked, optics wide. He could feel Primus’ presence fold closer around him, as if trying to blanket him with His warmth. 

“Yes,” Primus whispered sadly. “Yes, I could grant you that, if it is truly what you wish.”

“Please,” Depth Charge begged, “Please, my Lord, I would do-”

Primus stroked over his helm. “You need not beg me for anything. I shall grant you this wish, but you must accomplish a task for me in return.” 

Depth Charge nodded. Peace began to wash over him, flooding out from Primus’ light. “You will wander the land in a spectral form,” Primus said, holding Depth Charge gently and lifting him upwards. “You will find the one you seek, and offer him a choice- an end, and peace within my Well, or an eternity with you close behind.”

“So I offer him real death, or haunt him for the rest of time?” Depth Charge scoffed. “Doesn’t sound too different from what I’ve been doing.”

“No,” Primus said, a gentle, sad smile in His voice. “No, not too different at all.”

The lights, Depth Charge realized in a shocking moment, were other sparks, other lives. He realized as they swarmed around him that he hadn’t been alone all that time- he’d been surrounded by others, closed off to their voices. They whispered to him now, reassurances and wishes of strength and wealth, but their words were gone as quickly as they came as they lifted him up.

“Seek not retribution,” Primus said to him, and Depth Charge realized with a strange jolt that He was quoting the creation myth, “but forgiveness, for in times of strife and war, it is the greatest thing we can offer.”

And the light grew brighter, brighter, and brighter still, and the voices louder and louder, until Depth Charge wondered if he was still exploding, if all of that had been a dream, and then he was waking up.

He woke up numb, the glowing, comforting warmth of the Well slowly fading from his spark. He opened his eyes to the last rays of a sunset over an ocean. He was floating a few inches above the water.

Looking down at himself, his optics widened. He could barely see himself, his translucent limbs blending into each other and the dark waters below. He held no reflection in its surface.

“I really died,” he said to himself. “And I’m really here again.” His face felt different as he spoke- touching a hand to his mouth, he found that his mask was no longer present. He tried to deploy it, and failed. He found it didn’t bother him much; he wouldn’t need it now.

His mission echoed through his mind again. He had to find X.

In a sense, nothing really had changed at all.

  
  


Tracking down Rampage was easy. He didn’t even need a computer to do it- he’d always been able to sense Rampage in close distances, but now it was like there was a compass inside of him, showing him the way.

The strife he almost expected from that did not come. He was calm, at peace. He knew where Rampage was because he had a mission, from Primus himself, to find and stop him. Of course he’d be able to track him down.

Like a hound in on the kill, he walked confidently towards the only destination he’d ever known.

He _was_ shocked when he found the mech, though, not because of his state of complete health- though it did irk him a bit that even with that explosion, Rampage retained not a scratch- but rather Depth Charge’s own body, the pieces gathered and laid out like a horrid mannequin. His chestplate had been ripped off, exposing his spark chamber. Rampage was cradling it as best he could in his arms.

The cold emptiness within Depth Charge’s soul bubbled over with hot rage and sticky, bitter disgust.

“What the slag?” Depth Charge spat, throwing the speech he’d been preparing out of the window.

Rampage looked up from his vigil with a sound of surprise, staring at Depth Charge with wide optics. He sputtered for a moment, then grew quiet, glancing between Depth Charge and his grey, discolored shell, stupefied.

“Quit looking at me like that,” Depth Charge snapped, stepping closer. Rampage continued to gawk. “Depth Charge,” he whispered, as if the speaking mech’s name was sacrilege. The pain in his voice cooled Depth Charge’s rage, emptying his spark once more. He let the fire drain away before speaking again.

“I’ve come to you with an offer,” he said, holding out his hand. “An offer from Primus. Take my hand, and be free of this world. You can finally die- something we’ve both wished for since we met.”

“And if I don’t?” Rampage asked, disbelieving even still.

“Then you’ll live forever,” Depth Charge said, knowing it was not a blessing. “And I shall be right there with you. You will never be alone again.” 

The hope that sparked in Rampage’s optics made him burn with hate, but only for a moment. “However, every single second you refuse, I will torment you. You’ll never know peace again. Any fleeting second of happiness you’ve ever had will be a distant memory. Your life has been hell so far, but if you refuse? It _only. Gets_. _W_ _orse._ ” This was his vow, to the universe, his enemy and himself.

Rampage stared at his hand for a moment, then offered a harsh laugh that tasted of anguish, even to Depth Charge. “No,” he answered.

Depth Charge blinked. “No?”

Rampage set the husk in his hands down with a gentleness Depth Charge had never seen, then turned to face him fully. “No, my spectral friend. You are nothing but a sad hallucination,” Rampage said, “born of my grief, from my inability to revive my true friend, my playmate, the only one I knew. You are not truly here.”

He stood, walking pointedly _through_ Depth Charge, sending a cold shiver down both of their spinal struts.

Rampage continued, his back to Depth Charge as he walked out of the cave he’d taken shelter in. “I could take your hand, if only to prove its futility, but nay. I have no business with what is not real.”

Depth Charge watched him for a moment, and then he began to laugh.

First a snicker, then more, bubbling and gushing out of him like a terrible gash in his throat. He threw his head back, his mirth echoing off the walls of the cave. Rampage froze, turning to stare. It was a noise he’d never heard before.

His laughter stopped as abruptly as it had come.

“You never cease to amaze me, X,” Depth Charge sighed, breathless despite never needing it. “You have the audacity to look at me, the one mech you ever loved- in that twisted way you do- as I offer you an end to your eternity, and you can’t even look me in the optics as you tell me I’m not real.” He shook his head with a smile.

Some small part of Depth Charge realized that Rampage hadn’t seen him without his mask before. Had the mech even known he’d had a mouth?

“But you want me to be, don’t you?” Depth Charge continued, his tone startlingly flat. His smile grew, bearing sharp, pointed teeth Rampage had never seen before. Rampage took a step back, and oh did that please Depth Charge. He took a step forward in return, a thrill running through him as Rampage slowly retreated.

“You want me to be real so badly that you’ll never believe I am, because when have _you_ ever gotten anything you wanted?” He stepped forwards, his wings extending, causing his translucent form to take up all of Rampage’s vision. “But the only thing you’ll ever get from me is the assurance that your crimes will never be forgotten, or forgiven. Find comfort in that, X, it’s the best thing I have to offer you.”

“You’ve made your point,” Rampage said quietly. Depth Charge’s grin did not lessen. “Oh, good,” he purred. “Still feeling like saying no?” He reached out a hand again.

Rampage regarded him with an expression he was deeply unfamiliar with. “My answer remains,” he said, finally. “Even as a ghost, threatening to torture me, your presence is my greatest treasure.” 

Depth Charge snarled at him. “Enjoy it while you can. You won’t for much longer.”

Rampage had the audacity to smile in response. "We shall see, my friend. We shall see."

**Author's Note:**

> Don't be freaks about this ship in the comments, Rampage and Depth Charge will get your ass


End file.
